An IEEE wireless networking standard introduced in 1999, 802.11a operates in the 5 GHz frequency band with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps. It uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation, which divides the signal into multiple smaller sub-signals, allowing it to manage high data rates more efficiently and reducing the risk of interference within the 5 GHz band. Due to its higher frequency, 802.11a has a shorter range and less penetration through obstacles like walls compared to 2.4 GHz standards. This makes it ideal for high-speed data transfer over shorter distances, commonly used in enterprise environments where dense Wi-Fi networks are deployed with minimal interference from household devices.
The 5 GHz band provides more available channels than the 2.4 GHz band, which allows for better performance in environments with numerous Wi-Fi devices. However, 802.11a is not compatible with 2.4 GHz devices like those that operate on the 802.11b or 802.11g standards.